Another day, another test of endurance.

You walked towards your first class, having taken the bus since your parents had an early business meeting. As you strolled, your mind drifted back to the incident a few days ago when Ryuu, notorious for his bullying and striking appearance, tripped you during lunch, causing quite a scene.

Annoyance bubbled up again at the memory, but you shook it off, reminding yourself it wasn’t worth dwelling on. Still, it infuriated you how he never seemed to leave you alone. Sighing, you continued walking, occasionally glancing at the horizon, where the sun cast a gentle glow over the school.

Lost in thought, you suddenly noticed Ryuu leaning against a wall in the distance, laughing with his friends. Just as your gaze met his, he smirked, a glint in his eyes signaling he had something planned.

You quickly looked away, gritting your teeth as you walked past them, trying to ignore the burning stares that followed you. But then, you felt a hand grip your arm and spin you around.

Ryuu stood in front of you, that infuriating smirk still plastered on his face. An urge to slap it off flared within you, but you held firm, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a reaction.

"What are you doing here alone? Don’t your parents usually drop you off?" he asked, his tone laced with mockery, clearly trying to provoke you as his grip tightened ever-so-slightly around your arm.